Ontario s Niagara Escarpment (ONE) Monitoring Program

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1 Ontario s Niagara Escarpment (ONE) Monitoring Program Tracking environmental change within the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve Anne Marie Laurence, Ecological Monitoring Specialist Niagara Escarpment Commission November 15, 2012 A.D. Latornell Conservation Symposium

2 Introduction to the Niagara Escarpment Ontario s Niagara Escarpment (ONE) Monitoring Program Examples of Monitoring Projects Monitoring Results & Key Recommendations Preparing for the 2015 NEP Review Presentation Overview

3 Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve

4 NEP Purpose To maintain the Niagara Escarpment as a continuous natural environment permit only compatible development - includes objectives and policies for environmental protection e.g. Areas of Natural & Scientific Interest, Forests, Wetlands Niagara Escarpment Plan

5 The development of an environmental monitoring program was mandated under the 2005 NEP: to assess & report on the effectiveness of the policies of the NEP in meeting their purpose and objectives Ontario s Niagara Escarpment (ONE) Monitoring Program

policy support/development/refinement through the collection & analysis of

6 Uses indicators at different spatial scales (landscape level, site level) to monitor change over time American Hart s-tongue Fern Focuses on evidence-based policy support/development/refinement through the collection & analysis of scientific data State of Escarpment Reporting Jefferson Salamander ONE Monitoring Program

STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness of NEP policies in protecting Provincially Significant Life Science Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs).

7 STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness of NEP policies in protecting Provincially Significant Life Science Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs). Provincially Significant Life Science ANSIs: - Represent some of Ontario s most significant natural heritage features & landscapes - Are largely dependent on provincial land use policies for protection - Undergo periodic boundary updates Provincially Significant Life Science ANSI Study

The NEP strives to protect Provincially Significant Life Science ANSIs: i. By including them in the Escarpment Natural Area designation ii. Through its Development Criteria (Part 2.14) NEP Part 2.

8 The NEP strives to protect Provincially Significant Life Science ANSIs: i. By including them in the Escarpment Natural Area designation ii. Through its Development Criteria (Part 2.14) NEP Part 2.14 ANSIs Development shall be directed to locate outside of provincially and regionally significant ANSIs. Minor encroachments will be considered in relation to the specific features for which the ANSI has been identified and whether mitigative measures can be applied to protect ANSI values. Setbacks from development shall be established when necessary to protect ANSI values. Provincially Significant Life Science ANSI Study

9 GIS analysis used to determine where ANSI boundaries were reduced due to development Absence of development was used as an indicator of ANSI protection Development within ANSIs compared inside & outside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area Methodology

, 1976) - Candidate Nature Reserves (CNRs) - Plan-wide update: 1:10,000 OBM & airphotos via

10 Historic Recent - 1:50,000 NTS maps, NAD 27 - Significant Natural Areas within the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area (Cuddy et al., 1976) - Candidate Nature Reserves (CNRs) - Plan-wide update: 1:10,000 OBM & airphotos via Ecological Survey of the Niagara Escarpment (Riley et al., 1996) - Some ANSIs more recently updated using 20-50cm resolution orthophotos (2002, 2005, 2006) Data Sets

11 of the 59 Provincially Significant Life Science ANSIs in the Plan Area, 55 (93%) did not experience a boundary reduction due to development Where boundary reductions in the Plan Area did occur: - New single dwellings were permitted within Escarpment Natural Area - One skill hill expansion was approved as a "minor encroachment" within an ANSI with a less restrictive Plan designation (Escarpment Recreation Area) Summary of Results Inside the Plan Area

12 single dwelling Summary of Results INSIDE the Plan Area

13 signed agreement with conditions dated 1990 (Bruce Section) Summary of Results OUTSIDE the Plan Area

14 At a landscape-level of analysis, it appears that NEP policies have generally been working to protect Prov. Significant Life Science ANSIs Key recommendations: A Plan-wide update of NEP designation mapping to capture all Prov. Significant Life Science ANSIs in the Escarpment Natural Area designation Minor encroachments" could be defined in the NEP to strengthen policies for ANSI protection Where sites can accommodate, there should be greater consideration for development entirely outside the ANSI boundary Repeat a similar study for Regionally Significant Life Science ANSIs Conclusions & Key Recommendations

STUDY: To monitor change over time in forest biodiversity and health in core protected areas of the Biosphere Reserve. 5 one-hectare control plots Interior forest within Prov.

15 STUDY: To monitor change over time in forest biodiversity and health in core protected areas of the Biosphere Reserve. 5 one-hectare control plots Interior forest within Prov. Significant Life Science ANSIs & NEPOSS NEC-UW partnership in co-operation with other agencies (e.g. Ontario Parks) Baseline data for comparison to more disturbed sites Forest Biodiversity & Tree Health Monitoring

Data Collected Every 5 Years: Trees - Status

identification, stem counts - % cover (for ground

16 Data Collected Every 5 Years: Trees - Status (Alive/Dead), Species identification, Dbh - Crown Class (Dominant, Co-dominant, Intermediate, Suppressed) Shrubs/Saplings & Ground Cover - Species identification, stem counts - % cover (for ground cover only) Tree Health - Crown Vigour Rating - Stem Defects Data collection

Sugar maple-dominated, healthy forests; relatively high % of native species Historic disturbance likely effected species composition Little change in species richness other than natural succession /

17 Sugar maple-dominated, healthy forests; relatively high % of native species Historic disturbance likely effected species composition Little change in species richness other than natural succession / gap replacement Forests showing signs of maturity Presence of canopy species in the understory = forests successfully regenerating Presence of exotic invasive species in the understory is of concern Analysis of Short-Term Trends

18 Overall, the results highlight the successful protection of natural forest communities within core protected areas of the Biosphere Reserve. Key recommendations: Exotic species invasions should be immediately addressed by land managers Through the park master planning process, the NEC should continue to ensure that only appropriate land use are permitted to protect core areas NEP policy should continue to restrict tree cutting in ANSIs to minimize disturbance & promote natural succession to an old growth state Pressure plots located near development could be established and compared to control plot data to increase understanding of development impacts Conclusions & Key Recommendations

19 It is the intention that monitoring data may inform & support NEP policy changes during 2015 review Possible examples: Life Science ANSI protection New development within Wooded Areas Parks & Open Space System Preparing for the 2015 NEP Review

20 thank you questions? Monitoring reports available at: a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s Ontario Parks, MNR Department of Environment & Resource Studies, University of Waterloo Lisa Grbinicek, Senior Strategic Advisor, NEC Bruce Peninsula National Park Region of Halton Grey-Sauble Conservation Authority Larry Lamb, Botanist Greg Michalenko, Professor Emeritus, UW Bill Crins, Senior Conservation Ecologist, MNR Donald Kirk, District Ecologist, MNR Lynne Richardson, Senior Planner, NEC

5720 Timberlea Blvd., Ste. 103, Mississauga, ON L4W 4W

5720 Timberlea Blvd., Ste. 103, Mississauga, ON L4W 4W February 8, 2016 Ms. Lisa Grbinicek Acting Manager Niagara Escarpment Commission 232 Guelph Street, Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Dear Ms. Grbinicek: RE: Provincial Plan Review - NEP Mapping OSSGA is a not-for